Jarret Maupin is the reverend Al's handpicked protégé. Is Phoenix City Hall ready?

Nevertheless, Maupin understands where black rage comes from, and why sometimes young minorities feel it's unfair to have to live by the credo "What would MLK do?" when many of the changes King fought for still have not come about.

"When you live in a society where you know that when you wake up, and you go outside, that you may not be seen by everyone as equal; when you live under the emotional distress caused by situations that you're put up against every day -- these are all things that can frustrate a people, and subconsciously the buildup of all these things can lead to inner turmoil."

The young Rev pauses to catch his breath. It's Sunday, after all, and he had been preparing to address the King Day melee in a Phoenix church before his flight got snowed in.

Jeff Newton

Facing the future: Jarrett Maupin backed by friends and family.

Jeff Newton

Jarrett Maupin Sr. at the NAN offices: "When you get
disrespected, all kinds of stuff that you've had to deal
with your whole life crops up."

"As you can see, we've still got a long road ahead," he says. "But I'm ready for it. I'm not that tired."

He catches himself again. "Well, maybe after this week, I may come home and -- just maybe -- I might sleep in for a day.

"But I've got school as soon as I come back," he remembers, laughing. "So I guess I'll be sleeping on the plane."